Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of home school liaison support workers in Cork in 2019; and the number in 2023. [54838/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme is one of the key supports provided by my Department as part of the overall DEIS programme. Tusla Education Support Service manage the HSCL scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme seeks to promote partnership between parents, teachers and community family support services, with a view to supporting improved attendance, participation and retention.

All DEIS Urban Primary and all DEIS Post Primary schools are included in the HSCL scheme, which currently serves 687 DEIS schools, catering for approximately 207,000 children and young people.

The scheme is delivered by 528 full-time HSCL Coordinators, who are teachers in these schools and assigned to HSCL duties either in individual schools or in clusters of schools,

In 2019, there were 40 HSCL Coordinators assigned to Cork. In 2023, there are 46 HSCL Coordinators assigned to Cork.